Swinging support system with reinforced concrete columns for cultivating hop



Aug. 3, 1965 M. PAsz'roR 3,197,919

SWINGING SUPPORT SYSTEM WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS FOR CULTIVATING HOP Filed May 16, 1962 INVEZVTOR. fill/6 L) P452 7019,

United States Patent Mihly Pasztor, Budapest, Hungary, assignor to Lieencia Talalmanyokat Ertekesito Vallalat, a firm Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,182 1 Claim. (Cl. 4746) The present invention relates to a support system composed of a network held by columns, which in most cases were made of wood up till now. The network is composed of wires crossing themselves in a square shape and the distance of this network from ground level is about 7 meters. Hop plants creep on wires suspended on this network.

The said columns are used in great quantities and as their compression and bending stress is considerable, their use is expensive. The main object of the invention is to reduce the costs of erecting such columns and network system, at the same time improving the security in case of breaking of a wire.

With these and other objects in view, according to the invention reinforced concrete columns are used which are not embedded in the ground, but they are simply put onto the ground or their bottom part is surrounded by a shallow, loose quantity of earth, and so they are able to swing in any direction if, in consequence :of a heavy wind pressure or other causes, the top parts of the columns are subject to a horizontal pull. In addition the wires are not fixed to the columns, but are supported by the latter in such a way that they are able to glide on the columns. Thus, by these two features, it is attained that the columns are practically not subject to a bending stress, but only to compression stress, so that they can be manufactured with small dimensions, light weight and low costs.

Other details of the invention will be apparent from the following description in connection with the enclosed drawings. In these drawings FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the column and network system and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top part of a column of a first embodiment on a larger scale.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a part of a second embodiment of the network.

FIG. 4 shows the connection of the wires on the top of a column of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 shows the connection of the juxtaposed wires in end view.

The parallel wires 1 cross the other set of wires 1a and all of the wires are placed on the smooth, plain top surfaces of the columns 3, each made of reinforced concrete and covered with a sheet metal cap 4. The columns 3 stand on the ground and include a base plate 2 engaging the ground, so that, if any column moves out of the vertical position, it pivots about one edge of the said base plate.

At the top of the columns an arcuate rod 7 is diagonally fastened so that this rod is suitable to guide both wires 1 and 1a and to inhibit their slipping down from the top of the column. At the ends of the wires there are inclined stretching wires 5, anchored in the ground by plates 6. Of course, in spite of the stretching the wires have a slack betweenneighbouring columns, so that, in consequence of the load caused by the weight of the plants and by the wind pressure, the wire often moves in a horizontal direction. In the course of such a movement, the wires laid on the top surface of the columns and put underneath the arcuate rod 7, glide on the caps 4 and on each other, but if, in spite :of the free gliding of the wires, they tend to pull a column horizontally, the latter swings away from the vertical direction, as mentioned already. Thus the columns are only subject to a compression stress.

According to FIGS 3-5, the crossing point 8 of two wires is within a square formed of short wires 9 extending in a diagonal direction as compared with the wires 1 and In. An example of the fixing of two wires 9 to a wire 1 is shown in FIG. 5, in which the wires are held between two clamping plates 10.

By the use of the said wire square, if a wire 1 or 1a breaks, the row of columns cannot be pulled down, because the wires are coupled to each other; however, the said wire square allows a little sliding of a wire 1 in respect to the crossing wire 1a and vice versa.

What I claim is:

Support system for cultivating hops, comprising, in combination, upright columns having lower ends standing free on the ground whereby said columns can swing away from the vertical position, a network of crossing Wires having intersections supported by said columns and made of wires freely engaging the top ends of said columns, each vn're having free sliding movement, longitudinally of itself, with respect to the top of each column supporting the same, and with respect to each wire intersecting the same, and means restraining each wire against movement, laterally of itself, relative to the top of each column supporting the same, whereby said columns are relieved of bending stresses and subjected only to compression stresses, said retaining means comprising a wire square made of four wires and surrounding the crossing point of two wires of the network, the sides of the square extending diagonally relative to the wires of the network, and the corners of the square being clamped in juxtaposition with the respective network wlres.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,547 3/87 Schwend 4744 675,850 6/01 Brunneder 47--45 694,247 2/02 Brown 4743 1,225,281 5/ 17 Sorenson 47-46 1,487,779 3/24 Hardy 4744 FOREIGN PATENTS 671,718 9/29 France. 203,369 10/ 08 Germany. 213,418 9/09 Germany.

23,995 1892 Great Britain. 18,083 9/93 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

T. GRAHAM CRAVER, WILLIAM A. SMITH III,

Examiners. 

